Head coach Hay in shock Fev exit

Dave Craven

Featherstone Rovers have parted company with head coach Andy Hay - just five days after the ex-Great Britain international masterminded a stunning victory at fallen Super League giants Bradford Bulls.

They became the first side to win at Odsal this season when thrashing the Championship leaders 37-18 last Wednesday.

However, yesterday’s 32-30 home defeat to mid-table Dewsbury Rams, when Rovers squandered a 20-8 interval lead, saw them slip out of the top four.

That has apparently led to today’s shock development.

A club statement read: “Featherstone Rovers RLFC can announce that head coach Andy Hay has parted company with the club following yesterday’s defeat at the Big Fellas Stadium against Dewsbury Rams.

“Featherstone Rovers chairman Mark Campbell and Andy Hay have been unable to agree on circumstances surrounding the club’s recent form, which has led to these new developments.

“Featherstone Rovers will not make any further comment at this time.”

That recent form included four successive wins scoring an average of 46 points per game before their collapse against Dewsbury.

Ex-Castleford Tigers and Hull FC assistant coach Hay, 41, was appointed on a two-year deal last May following a similarly shock dismissal of John Bastian after just 11 games.

Featherstone head to second-placed Leigh Centurions on Sunday with just three games remaining to secure a top-four finish and a place in the lucrative Middle Eights - which brings with it the chance of promotion to Super League.

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